Newport student in running for "agricultural Adonis" award

The appropriately named Ben Bull, 21, a student at Harper Adams University, in Newport is one of 10 finalists in Farmers Weekly's sexiest farmer award.

Ben, of Westside Dairy in North Waltham, Hampshire is pictured flashing a cheeky smile in a selfie snap taken with his girfriend Holly Waldeck.

When he is not at home on the farm or studying, Ben spends time working out in the gym and is a keen rugby player, representing his county team. The ambitious student wants to visit Australia to see large-scale farming businesses – but says he might have to master his fear of spiders first.

Ben learned the trade on his father's farm and other farms around Hampshire during the school holidays and hopes to run his own enterprise once qualified.

His rivals in the contest range in age from Rachel Churches, 18, a member of Somerset Young Farmers, whose parents say she is 'up for anything including welding, milking and especially tractor driving' to Judi James, a single mother, aged 53, who owns a veal business in Dorset.

TV fashion presenter Gok Wan waded through more than 300 entries to put 10 forward, from which one man and one woman will be crowned Britain's sexiest farmers.

Gok said: "Country guys have a rugged charm and so many of the ladies were positively beautiful. Some dressed up, quite a few were in wellies, and one or two in not very much at all."

The competition is sponsored by the Original Muck Boot Company.

A company spokesman said: 'We know farming is a dynamic and vibrant industry and feel it's time to showcase the stylish and sexy people we have in our rural communities.'

Tim Relf, community editor of Farmers Weekly, said: 'The competition will help to dispel the myth that farmers are old-fashioned and scruffy, and encourage more young people to consider careers in this exciting innovative and high tech sector.'

To view the shortlisted finalists and vote visit: www.fwi.co.uk/rural-living/britains-sexiest-farmer/